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PNP: Focus crimes down by 25% in January, February 2026

Philippines | National

PNP: Focus crimes down by 25% in January, February 2026

By Aaron Recuenco

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Focus crimes went down by 25 percent in the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) disclosed on Monday, March 2.

Focus crimes are murder, homicide, rape, physical injury, robbery, theft and carnapping of motorcycles and motor vehicles.

From 6,081 cases from January to February 2025, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Naratez, Jr. said the figure went down to 4,532 cases this year—with rape cases recording the biggest decline with 57.42 percent decrease, or from 707 cases to 301 cases.

Cases of physical injury went down by 22.82 percent, or from 368 cases to 284 cases; carnapping of motor vehicles with 14.28 percent decrease, or from 14 cases to 12 cases; carnapping of motorcycles with 10.98 percent decrease, or from 182 cases to 162 cases.

Cases of murder also went down by 10.37 percent, or from 270 cases to 242 cases while theft recorded a 6.78-percent drop, or from 943 cases to 879 cases.

“The downtrend is of course due to our effective patrol system which has the goal of denying the opportunity to commit crime as well as providing the essential tools for our personnel on the ground,” said Nartatez.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday, Nartatez disclosed that the PNP seized around P1.6 billion worth of illegal drugs in February.

This includes 1.29 million grams of dried marijuana leaves; 1.22 million pieces of marijuana plants; 25.14 kilograms of shabu; 1.48 kilograms of marijuana kush; 208 grams of ecstasy; and a gram of cocaine,

He said total of 4,782 individuals were arrested over drug-related charges while two were killed during police operations.

Police also confiscated P1.55 billion worth of alleged contraband and arrested 522 individuals in 1,520 anti-smuggling operations in February.

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